10 Hypoglycemic Episodes Predict Length of Stay in Patients with Acute Burns

Abstract Introduction Hypoglycemic episodes are associated with worse hospital outcomes, and their incidence varies by institution. We sought to define the prevalence of hypoglycemic episodes at our burn center and determine their association with hospital outcomes. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all consecutive adult and pediatric patients admitted to our burn center from 2015 to 2019. Patient demographics and burn characteristics were recorded. The primary outcome was mortality, and secondary outcomes were total length of stay (LOS) and intensive care unit LOS (ICU LOS). All patients experiencing hypoglycemic episodes were compared to patients who did not experience hypoglycemic episodes (controls) using two-tailed t, chi-squared, and multivariate logistic and multiple linear regression analyses. Results A total of 914 patients with acute burns were admitted during the study period. Thirty-three patients (4%) experienced hypoglycemic episodes (< 60 mg/dL). Of these, 17 patients (52%) experienced a single hypoglycemic episode, while the remainder (N=16) experienced multiple hypoglycemic episodes. There were no significant differences in age, sex, or presence of inhalation injury between hypoglycemic patients and controls. Patients that experienced a hypoglycemic episode had significantly greater TBSA involvement (23% vs. 11%, p< 0.00), higher prevalence of diabetes (48% vs. 20%, p< 0.00), higher mortality (18% vs. 7%, p=0.01), longer total LOS (39 vs. 13 days, p< 0.00), and longer ICU LOS (28 vs. 4 days, p< 0.00). A single hypoglycemic episode was associated with prolonging total LOS by 19 days (p< 0.00) and ICU LOS by 18 days (p< 0.00). Hypoglycemic episodes were not associated with higher odds of mortality (OR=0.9, 95% CI 0.3–3.0, p >0.05). There were no differences in outcomes between patients with single or multiple hypoglycemic episodes. Patients with multiple hypoglycemic episodes more frequently had a history of diabetes (81% vs. 18%, p< 0.00), and worse glucose control (HbA1c, 9% vs. 7%, p=0.04) compared to patients with single episodes. Conclusions Hypoglycemic episodes were associated with longer total and ICU LOS in our study but did not portend higher mortality. Applicability of Research to Practice Quality improvement efforts to prevent hypoglycemic episodes should focus efforts on known diabetics with high HbA1c levels.